These Window-Cleaning Drones Make Cleaning Skyscrapers Look Easy
Drones might be helping out with one of the most terrifying jobs imaginable for anyone afraid of heights. These drones, created by Latvian company Aerones, successfully take the place of a human window washer.
The system uses the company's most powerful drone -- the AD28 designed for heavy payloads. The water comes from a hose connected to the drone from the ground (which would have to be an exceptionally long hose in the case of some skyscrapers).
Aerones specializes in heavy-duty drone equipment, including drones for de-icing and coating wind turbines, and cleaning industrial towers.
This drone does more than just give people in offices an interesting show. It might be a safer option. Professional window washing is an unsurprisingly harrowing job. Aerones also ensures that its drones do the job faster than human window washers.
However, window washing doesn't lead to as many deaths as one would think. The number of injuries and deaths have gone down considerably within the last several decades, thanks in part to stricter safety standards and stronger unionization. One study even noted that window washing is safer than being a taxi driver.
While this might not be used for washing windows just yet, Aerones noted the drones could be helpful in putting out fires on higher floors of a building. That application of the drone certainly could save lives.